Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The ride
The Downs Link follows two old railways from Surrey to the sea. This section uses the Steyning Line, opened in 1861 and closed in 1966, from Southwater Country Park south to Henfield. It passes the old station at West Grinstead, goes through the village of Partridge Green, crosses the River Adur and reaches Henfield by the site of its station.
It is 20.1 km (12.5 miles) there and back with 42 m of climbing; allow about 1½ hours of riding. The grade is Easy. The line is all but level. The surface is stone and earth: firm in dry weather, bumpy in places and muddy after rain, so it is better on a hybrid, gravel or mountain bike than a road bike. Children manage it well; a trailer will find it rough.
Most of it is traffic-free, but through Partridge Green the route follows the B2135 for about 500 m, and there are short stretches of street at Henfield. The trail is shared with walkers and horse riders.
Southwater Country Park has a car park at the start. There are pubs beside the route at Partridge Green and Henfield.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- The Steyning Line from Horsham to Shoreham, opened in 1861 and closed in 1966
- A stone and earth surface: firm in summer, bumpy and muddy in places after rain
- About 500 m on the B2135 through Partridge Green
- Past the old station at West Grinstead, to a pub beside the trail in Henfield
Getting there
Start: Southwater Country Park. 51.01128, -0.33253
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Sussex: Booking.com → Expedia →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths and roads change, and surfaces vary with the weather. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; ride to what you find, give way to walkers and horses, and carry what you need to mend a puncture.
